Autocrine IL-1α controls corneal keratocyte transition to the repair fibroblast phenotype

Keratocyte transition to the repair fibroblast phenotype is characterized by the activation of genes for cytokines, extracellular matrix (ECM) receptors, ECM components, and proteolytic enzymes. Not only must these genes be induced to enable repair tissue deposition, but their expression must be precisely modulated over the prolonged period of repair tissue remodelling. An epithelial-stromal cell interaction may control many of these gene …